


Promise

by redtrouble



Series: Demonheart: Through the Eyes of Sir Brash [10]
Category: Demonheart (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 04:11:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15186458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redtrouble/pseuds/redtrouble
Summary: Sir Brash must say goodbye to Bright. (Spoilers. Play first. Read second!) Rated M for mature language.





	Promise

Sir Brash glared at the dark, empty hallway that Jarlan had just disappeared down, dragging an unconscious Rivera with him. An anxious feeling stirred in his gut, mind racing as he grasped desperately for a plan. He couldn’t think of a way out that didn’t involved being separated from his precious kitten.

“I wasn’t counting on them being here…” he growled. “This makes things more complicated.” He turned to her and sighed angrily. “We have to part ways now.”

“No!” she immediately protested, shaking her head. “No, stay. Please.”

“I can’t,” he said, and it broke his heart to say it. He wanted to stay more than anything, but that would only put her in danger. “I will go and distract Mace’s army and Mace himself, so you have time to escape. He _will_ search for you once the dust settles from this whole mess with me and Rivera.”

“But why? What am I to him?”

“A demonheart,” he replied, “and that’s enough. He’s a fucking Hunter! He eats all the demon hearts he can find. There haven’t been many in the South, but when there is one, it will damn well be his. The only reason he let me take you to Rivera was the threat she had against me. He figured it was better to lose one weak heart than one of his knights.”

“But I don’t even have my heart—”

“Mace won’t believe that—he’ll have you ripped open just like he had me, but he won’t take _you_ for a knight. It’s more likely he’ll just decide to burn you.” The thought made him bitter as fuck. There was no fucking way he would let that happen. “But my return will be some kind of event—a distraction in itself—and he’ll be glad to get his hands on Rivera.”

Since he met her, Brash had wanted to take her to Scarcewall with him, had even told her he would, but even then he knew it was impossible. Mace would never allow it, their relationship. It had always been nothing more than a fantasy—taking her home to his apartment, dressing her in silks and gold and jewels, tearing it all off and making love to her all night long, parading her on his arm so everyone fucking knew that she had chosen him. But it was _impossible_. There was no way Mace would accept coming second to anyone else. He demanded absolute loyalty—and Brash would give it to him over everything and everyone but her.

“I’m not sure if I should try to lie to him or not,” Brash muttered into the silence, brow wrinkled with uncertainty. “Maybe I can find a way to convince him you aren’t worth his time—because I’m sure you actually aren’t.” He shook his head. “But you’ll be a thorn in his eye, especially since… Well, since I’m trying to protect you.”

Bright looked defeated as he met her eyes. “I don’t want you to leave…”

Brash swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn’t want to leave either and, if she kept pouting like that, he might not be able to. “It’s safer for you if I do,” he told her, imploring her to understand. But if he left, what would that mean for them? His gaze flicked across the room nervously as he asked, “Do you…want to see me again?”

“Of course I want to see you again!” she exclaimed. “I love you!”

Relief flooded him and he sighed, looking at her. Tears flecked her eyelashes. He scooped her into his arms and whispered, “I love you, too, sweetheart…” He pressed his lips to her forehead, inhaling deeply. “But we’re in a deep mess.” He pulled back far enough to meet her eyes, his hands sliding along her back. He needed her to understand what he was about to tell her. “Lord Mace may care about my safety, but he will not appreciate knowing that there’s someone more important to me than he is. Rivera he could endure, but if I abandon his service to be with you…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “He will find the sneakiest way to murder you and keep us apart.”

“But why?” she gasped, flabbergasted.

“The knights of Scarcewall are not supposed to fall in love. At most, we can marry someone important on Mace’s order.” He yanked off one of his gloves and gently stroked her cheek. “Too late for that, now...” She reached up and covered his hand with her own, holding his palm against her face. “Too many of them are here now. We need to agree on a time and place to meet—several days from now, at least, and it can’t be in Feline or Scarcewall.” His thumb caressed the skin beside her mouth. “The South is off limits to you. You have to be somewhere they won’t all be jumping to kill you…”

“My heart is not safe yet,” she reminded him.

“I know,” he said, and gods, he fucking _knew_ , couldn’t stop thinking about it, but it was a long-distance problem he couldn’t do anything about. “But with these scum waiting for us, your body isn’t safe, either.” His thumb brushed her lower lip. “You’ve got enemies right behind this wall, sweetheart. We need to deal with them one by one.”

Bright nodded ever so slightly and kissed the pad of his thumb. “Where do you think we should meet?” she asked, and he could feel her hot breath on his skin. It stirred up his blood.

“It wouldn’t be suspicious if I made a trip to Crows,” he told her. “And then we’d have to run away from there.” If she wanted that. He didn’t know if she wanted that. He was almost embarrassed for saying it, for giving away his desires without knowing hers. “That’s if we’re going to run away,” he corrected himself, “and not just meet occasionally…”

Her little smile relaxed him. “We’ll meet in Crows,” she agreed.

“All right, sweetheart.” He cupped her cheek in his palm. “Seven days, provided we’re both alive by then…”

He had said it in jest but realized too late that there were very real implications attached to it. Sorrow pulled at the corners of her mouth, fresh tears building up in her eyes. He didn’t have the words to tell her he was sorry for saying it or the guts to pretend it was a joke. Instead, he drew her face to his and bent to kiss her.

“Brashy!” Jarlan exclaimed when their lips were just barely touching. “Them boys an’ girls be gettin’ suspicious.” He shuffled closer as Brash raised his head, annoyed. “They’re askin’ me what yer doin’ _alone_ in this blasted ruin! Are ye fuckin’ plannin’ ta escape?”

“Shut up!” Brash barked. “I’m coming.”

The smaller knight threw up his hands in surrender and waddled back the way he came. When he was out of sight, Brash kissed her so suddenly that she squeaked in surprise. Their kisses instantly became heated and their breathing quickened. Brash shoved her up against the wall, hands roaming along her hips and thighs. He wouldn’t get another chance to kiss her, to touch her like this for at least seven days and he was already near his limit.

“Brashy!” Jarlan barked from the shadows and they jumped apart in shock. “What exactly was it ye had in mind when ye said ye was comin’?”

“Fuck off!” Brash yelled, trying to catch his breath.

Jarlan chuckled and Brash heard the sound of boots on stone heading in the opposite direction. He shook his head in disbelief. Jarlan was supposed to be his friend, not a fucking cockblock. Bright chuckled, cheeks dark red with embarrassment, and Brash couldn’t help but grin at her. Since the mood had been ruined, there was just one last thing that needed addressing…

“Also, sweetie…you’ll have to give my brush back,” he said and her mouth fell open. “It would be nasty if someone caught you with it.”

“I knew it,” she said, grinning, apparently pleased with herself. He rolled his good eye.

“Yeah, yeah. I wanted you to have it because I love your hair,” he reached out to stroke her tresses, “but I wouldn’t want it to get you in trouble. Someone might recognize it.”

Bright nodded. “I understand…” She dug into her pouch, retrieved the brush, and handed it to him. “Maybe when we escape to another kingdom and get married…you’ll let me keep it for good.”

He couldn’t help but smirk, so happy that he almost lost all good sense and decided to take her away immediately. “You must damn love that brush if you’re willing to marry me for it!”

She laughed and nodded. Silence descended and the mood took on a sorrowful tone. No more stalling. It was time to go. She smiled at him but he could see the sadness she was trying to hide. Brash took her by her waist and gently kissed her.

“We’ll meet again, sweetheart,” he whispered against her lips. “I promise.”

He lingered at her side long enough for her to nod and then he turned away. His fingers tightened into fists as he walked, dread filling the empty space behind him with every step he took. He heard the echo of her sobs in the stone corridor just before the rush of noise greeted him. He stepped into the light and soldiers cheered, welcoming him, celebrating him.

Brash forced himself to smile and only Jarlan and Rose knew it was false.


End file.
